saved his life; for, from that instant, the Indians ceased to fire at him, and even to shoot their flaming arrows at the block-having taken up the notion simultaneously, and by common consent, that the "Salt-water" was mad; and it was a singular effect of their magnanimity, never to lift a hand against those whom they imagined devoid of reason.

The conduct of Pathfinder was very different. Everything he did was regulated by the most exact calculationthe result of long experience, and habitual thoughtfulness. His person was kept carefully out of a line with the loops, and the spot that he selected for his look-out was one that was quite removed from danger. This celebrated guidehad often been known to lead forlorn hopes; he had once stood at the stake, suffering under the cruelties and taunts of savage ingenuity, and savage ferocity, without quailing: and legends of his exploits, coolness, and daring, were to be heard all along that extensive frontier, or wherever men dwelt, and men contended. But, on this occasion, one who did not know his history and character, might have thought his exceeding care, and studied attention to self-preservation, proceeded from an unworthy motive. But such a judge would not have understood his subject. The Pathfinder bethought him of Mabel, and of what might possibly be the consequences to that poor girl, should any casualty befal himself. But the recollection rather quickened his intellect, than changed his customary prudence. He was, in fact, one of those who was so unaccustomed to fear, that he never bethought him of the constructions others might put upon his conduct. But, while, in moments of danger, he acted with the wisdom of the serpent, it was also with the simplicity of a child.

For the first ten minutes of the assault, Pathfinder never raised the breech of his rifle from the floor, except when he changed his own position, for he well knew that the bullets of the enemy were thrown away upon the massive logs of the work; and, as he had been at the capture of the howitzer, he felt certain that the savages had no other shell than the one found in it when the piece was taken. There existed no reason, therefore, to dread the fire of the assailants, except as a casual bullet might find a passage through a loop-hole. One or two of these accidents did occur, but the balls entered

at an angle that deprived them of all chance of doing any injury, so long as the Indians kept near the block; and, if discharged from a distance, there was scarcely the possibility of one in a hundred's striking the apertures. But, when Pathfinder heard the sound of moccasined feet, and the rustling of brush at the foot of the building, he knew that the attempt to build a fire against the logs was about to be renewed. He now summoned Cap from the roof, where indeed all the danger had ceased, and directed him to stand in readiness with his water, at a hole immediately over the spot assailed.

One less trained than our hero, would have been in a hurry to repel this dangerous attempt also, and might have resorted to his means prematurely; not so with Pathfinder. His aim was not only to extinguish the fire, about which he felt little apprehension, but to give the enemy a lesson that would render him wary during the remainder of the night. In order to effect the latter purpose, it became necessary to wait until the light of the intended conflagration should direct his aim, when he well knew that a very slight effort of his skill would suffice. The Iroquois were permitted to collect their heap of dried bush, to pile it against the block, to light it, and to return to their covers, without molestation. All that Pathfinder would suffer Cap to do was to roll a barrel filled with water to the hole immediately over the spot, in readiness to be used at the proper instant. That moment, however, did not arrive, in his judgment, until the blaze illuminated the surrounding bushes, and there had been time for his quick and practised eye to detect the forms of three or four lurking savages, who were watching the progress of the flames, with the cool indifference of men accustomed to look on human misery with apathy. Then indeed he spoke.

66 Are you ready, friend Cap?" he asked. "The heat begins to strike through the crevices, and, although these green logs are not of the fiery natur' of an ill-tempered man, they may be kindled into a blaze if one provokes them too much. Are you ready with the barrel?-See that it has the right cut, and that none of the water is wasted."

"All ready-" answered Cap, in the manner in which a seaman replies to such a demand.

"Then wait for the word. Never be over-impatient in a critical time, nor fool-risky in a battle. Wait for the word." While the Pathfinder was giving these directions, he was also making his own preparations, for he saw it was time to act. Killdeer was deliberately raised, pointed, and discharged. The whole process occupied about half a minute, and, as the rifle was drawn in, the eye of the marksman was applied to the hole.

"There is one riptyle the less-" Pathfinder muttered to himself "I've seen that vagabond afore, and know him to be a marciless devil. Well, well; the man acted according to his gifts, and he has been rewarded according to his gifts. One more of the knaves, and that will sarve the turn for tonight. When day-light appears, we may have hotter work.".

All this time, another rifle was getting ready; and as Pathfinder ceased, a second savage fell. This, indeed, sufficed; for, indisposed to wait for a third visitation from the same hand, the whole band, which had been crouching in the bushes around the block, ignorant of who was, and who was not exposed to view, leaped from their covers, and fled to different places for safety.

"Now, pour away, Master Cap," said Pathfinder-" I 've made my mark on the blackguards; and we shall have no no more fires lighted to-night."

"Scaldings!" cried Cap, upsetting the barrel, with a care, that at once, and completely extinguished the flames.

This ended the singular conflict; and the remainder of the night passed in peace. Pathfinder and Cap watched alternately, though neither can be said to have slept. Sleep, indeed, scarcely seemed necessary to them, for both were accustomed to protracted watchings; and there were seasons and times, when the former appeared to be literally insensible to the demands of hunger and thirst, and callous to the effects of fatigue.

Mabel watched by her father's pallet, and began to feel how much our happiness, in this world, depends even on things that are imaginary. Hitherto, she had virtually lived without a father, the connexion with her remaining parent being ideal, rather than positive; but, now that she was about to lose him, she thought, for the moment, that the world would be a void after his death, and that she could never be acquainted with happiness again.

CHAPTER X.

"There was a roaring in the wind all night;
The rain came heavily, and fell in floods;
But now the sun is rising calm and bright;
The birds are singing in the distant woods."
WORDSWORTH.

As the light returned, Pathfinder and Cap ascended again to the roof, with a view to reconnoitre the state of things once more, on the island. This part of the block-house had a low battlement around it, which afforded a considerable protection to those who stood in its centre; the intention having been to enable marksmen to lie behind it, and to fire over its top. By making proper use, therefore, of these slight defencesslight, as to height, though abundantly ample as far as they went-the two look-outs commanded a pretty good view of the island, its covers excepted; and of most of the channels that led to the spot.

The gale was still blowing very fresh at south; and there were places in the river where its surface looked green and angry, though the wind had hardly sweep enough to raise the water into foam. The shape of the little island was generally oval, and its greatest length was from east to west. By keeping in the channels that washed it, in consequence of their several courses, and of the direction of the gale, it would have been possible for a vessel to range past the island, on either of its principal sides, and always to keep the wind very nearly abeam. These were the facts first noticed by Cap, and explained to his companion; for the hopes of both now rested on the chances of relief sent from Oswego. At this instant, while they stood gazing anxiously about them, Cap cried out in his lusty, hearty, manner—

"Sail, ho!"

Pathfinder turned quickly in the direction of his companion's face, and there, sure enough, was just visible the object of the old sailor's exclamation. The elevation enabled the two to overlook the low land of several of the adjacent islands; and the canvass of a vessel was seen through the bushes that fringed the shore of one that lay to the southward

and westward. The stranger was under what seamen call low sail; but so great was the power of the wind, that her white outlines were seen flying past the openings of the verdure, with the velocity of a fast-travelling horse; resembling a cloud driving in the heavens.

"That cannot be Jasper!" said Pathfinder, in disappointment; for he did not recognise the cutter of his friend, in the swift-passing object. "No-no-the lad is behind the hour; and that is some craft that the Frenchers have sent to aid their friends, the accursed Mingos."

"This time you are out in your reckoning, friend Pathfinder, if you never were before," returned Cap, in a manner that had lost none of its dogmatism by the critical circumstances in which they were placed. "Fresh-water or salt, that is the head of the Scud's mainsail, for it is cut with a smaller goar than common; and then you can see, that the gaff has been fished-quite neatly done, I admit, but fished." "I can see none of this, I confess," answered Pathfinder, to whom even the terms of his companion were Greek.

"No!-Well, I own that surprises me; for I thought your eyes could see any thing! Now, to me, nothing is plainer than that goar and that fish; and I must say, my honest friend, that, in your place, I should apprehend that my sight was beginning to fail."

"If Jasper is truly coming, I shall apprehend but little. We can make good the block against the whole Mingo nation, for the next eight or ten hours; and, with Eau-douce to cover the retreat, I shall despair of nothing. God send that the lad may not run alongside of the bank, and fall into an ambushment, as befel the sarjeant!"

"Ay; there's the danger. There ought to have been signals concerted, and an anchorage-ground buoyed out, and even a quarantine station, or a Lazaretto, would have been useful could we have made these Minks-ho respect the laws. If the lad fetches up, as you say, anywhere in the neighbourhood of this island, we may look upon the cutter as lost. And, after all, Master Pathfinder, ought we not to set down this same Jasper as a secret ally of the French, rather than as a friend of our own?-I know the serjeant views the matter in that light, and I must say this whole affair looks like treason!"